How COVID-19 Has Influenced Public Interest in Antimicrobials, Antimicrobial Resistance and Related Preventive Measures: A Google Trends Analysis of Italian Data

Andrea Maugeri,Martina Barchitta,Antonella Agodi,Guido Basile

doi:10.3390/antibiotics11030379

Abstract

Google Trends analytics is an innovative way to evaluate public interest in antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and related preventive measures. In the present study, we analyzed Google Trends data in Italy, from 2016 to 2021. A joinpoint analysis was performed to assess whether and how annual campaigns and the COVID-19 pandemic affected public interest in antimicrobials, AMR, hand hygiene, and the use of disinfectant. For the terms “antimicrobials” and “antimicrobial resistance”, no joinpoints were detected around the time of the World Antimicrobial Awareness Week. Similarly, the COVID-19 pandemic seems to have had no effect on public interest in this term. For the term “handwashing”, no joinpoints were detected around World Hand Hygiene Day or Global Handwashing Day. However, three joinpoints were detected around the peak of interest observed in March 2020, after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Comparable results were obtained for the term “disinfectant”. These findings show that the influence of annual campaigns on public interest in AMR and preventive measures was modest and not long-term. The COVID-19 pandemic, meanwhile, had no effect on AMR but raised awareness on preventive measures. However, this was a temporary rather than long-term outcome. Thus, different policies, strategies, and measures should be designed to advocate prevention of AMR in the COVID-19 era.

Highlights

Published: 13 March 2022Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a threat to human health that is becoming more serious every year, as demonstrated by the 670,000 infections and 33,000 deaths caused by antimicrobial resistance (AMR) bacteria in Europe in 2020 [1]
A concerning long-term consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic is the potential spread of AMR due to an increased and often inappropriate use of antimicrobials [4]
No significant joinpoints were detected in this time series and the analysis of weekly trends in public interest produced similar results

Summary

Introduction

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a threat to human health that is becoming more serious every year, as demonstrated by the 670,000 infections and 33,000 deaths caused by AMR bacteria in Europe in 2020 [1]. The situation may become more complicated because AMR is estimated cause more deaths than cancer by 2050 [2]. The World Health Organization (WHO) established the World Antimicrobial Awareness. Week (WAAW), held annually since 2015, to raise awareness of AMR and encourage best practices to counteract its spread [3]. Projections for AMR do not account for the possible impact of COVID-19 on AMR. The current pandemic has placed huge strains on health systems and resources globally. A concerning long-term consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic is the potential spread of AMR due to an increased and often inappropriate use of antimicrobials [4]

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Discussion

Conclusion